England and Pakistan ripe for more fireworks

England's test series with Pakistan have always had the potential for fireworks.

This year's contest is no different.

Pakistan left Lahore for London on Wednesday in disarray, with a new captain, a new coach and an uneasy truce among some of their players -- all set against the background of new, if unsubstantiated, match-fixing allegations.

But they unexpectedly left behind Shoaib Akhtar, the bowler who was cleared last month of throwing for the second time in his short but controversial career.

Shoaib has remodelled his action and had been expected to come under close scrutiny from umpires Darrell Hair and Peter Willey, the men who first reported him two years ago and who are due to officiate at the first test at Lord's starting on May 17.

Pakistani officials said Shoaib had a stomach upset and hoped to join the team later in the two-month tour.

England and Pakistan know each other well.

Captain Waqar Younis and Saqlain Mushtaq have played with Alec Stewart and Graham Thorpe at Surrey, while Wasim Akram and Michael Atherton are Lancashire stalwarts.

Mushtaq Ahmed has an avid following at Somerset, where he has played with Andy Caddick and Marcus Trescothick.

Close personal ties, however, are not always enough to avoid a flashpoint.

After rows over umpiring during Pakistan's 1982 and 1987 tours, the touchpaper was truly set alight in the return series in Pakistan in late 1987.

GRUDGING APOLOGY

The second test in Faisalabad was dramatically halted after Mike Gatting and Shakoor Rana exchanged choice words and wagging fingers when the home umpire accused the England captain of trying to move a fielder behind the batsman's back.

A 24-hour hiatus followed before Gatting grudgingly offered the apology required for Rana to re-start the game.

At least the two men did not threaten lawsuits, as occurred following Pakistan's 1992 tour of England.

England were being outclassed, bemused and demoralised by Waqar and Wasim's extraordinary late reverse swing before Allan Lamb resorted to accusations of cheating.

Pakistan put the fuss down to England's post-colonial angst and racism, before instructing their lawyers to sue two British newspapers for libel. The Sunday Telegraph later apologised for calling the team the "pariahs of cricket".

Four years later, with the ball-tampering issue rumbling on, Lamb and Ian Botham ended up in the libel court opposite former Pakistan captain Imran Khan.

Lamb found himself on the losing side again when the jury threw out his and Botham's allegations that Imran had libelled them by calling them cheats and racists.

England, with four consecutive series successes, including one in Pakistan at the turn of the year, should feel more secure this time.

PARTING SHOT

With Waqar -- whose relationship with Wasim will attract attention after he accused him of ruining his career two years ago -- no longer the same force and Wasim nearing the end of his career, England captain Nasser Hussain might be tempted to consider his team as the favourites.

But Pakistan, packed with erratic and supremely skilful players, seem to thrive on dissension and uncertainty.

They managed just one victory in six during the 2000-01 season before former coach Javed Miandad was sacked and former captain Moin Khan ousted.

Miandad's parting shot was to suggest the team had thrown a one-day series against New Zealand before he back-tracked. Moin, meanwhile, was replaced by Rashid Latif, the man who temporarily 'retired' in 1994-95 after suggesting the team were throwing games.

New coach Richard Pybus was recruited just hours before the plane set off for England.

For any other team, the recent events would represent the worst possible preparation.

But Pakistan have so often proved the exception to the rule.

Mail Cricket Editor